27 Jan 2017

Saneem defends Fiji elections role

4:21 pm on 27 January 2017

Fiji's Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem says he's working hard towards the next election and he won't step down from his post.

The Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry told the Fiji Times Mr Saneem should suspend his work because the Electoral Commission he's meant to report to had wound up its term earlier this month.

Commissioners are appointed for a three-year term which ended on 9 January.

Mr Chaudhry said Mr Saneem should have resigned after a court ruling last year which went in favour of the commission.

But Mr Saneem told the paper said he would not be resigning and he was working as hard as he could produce a successful election in 2018.

He said his office was apolitical and independent and he was heading a crack team intent on doing its duty for every Fijian.

Mr Chaudhry said the party would take the matter up with the authorities.

Another opposition party, the NFP, earlier called for the Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, as head of the Constitutional Offices Commission, to appoint new commissioners.

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